1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mixing apparatus for a plurality of different liquid materials in measured quantities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has heretofore been proposed to supply a plurality of fluid components to be combined to a common receiver or supply line. Systems of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,271 to Pressler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,453 to Whitehouse and U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,877 to Jeffree. The systems of Pressler and Whitehouse may involve difficulties if one or more of the chemical materials is incompatible, and the structure required is expensive.
Jeffree has no provisions for positive feeding of measured quantities of additives, no provisions for effective agitation to insure mixing and no control in the event of exhaustion of one of the materials to be added.
Stearns, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,645,463, shows method and apparatus for continuous flow mixing but is silent as to the manner of supplying the fluid through the individual conduits and does not undertake to supply any measured quantities of materials. Careful sizing of the main conduit of Stearns, and the conduit elements with their orifices, would be required to induce turbulent flow of a character to achieve the mixing and homogenization desired by Stearns if in fact it would be achieved. If the quantities to be introduced were very small in proportion to the fluid stream there would be a serious problem as to the effectiveness of these small quantities to produce turbulence at a mixing zone and serious doubt as to the efficiency of the distribution of the material thus added. Stearns also has no provisions for shut-off if a material to be added is exhausted.